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Breath-Ammonia Testing of Healthy Subjects and Patients with Cirrhosis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21842240     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious neuropsychiatric complication in both acute and chronic liver disease. AIMS: To establish the utility of a portable noninvasive method to measure ammonia in the breath of healthy subjects and patients with HE. METHODS: The study included 106 subjects: 44 women and 62 men, 51 healthy and 55 cirrhotic. The breath ammonia was measured with an electrochemical sensor and expressed in parts/billion (ppb). RESULTS: The breath ammonia in healthy subjects had an average value of 151.4 ppb (95% confidence interval [CI]: 149.4-153.4) and the average value in cirrhotic patients was 169.9 ppb (95% CI: 163.5-176.2) (P < 0.0001). In cirrhotic patients with and without HE, the corresponding values were 184.1 ppb (95% CI: 167.7-200.6) and 162.9 ppb (95% CI: 158.8-167.0), respectively (P = 0.0011). Ammonia levels ≥165 ppb permitted a differentiation between healthy and cirrhotic subjects; the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the ammonia-level values in cirrhotic versus control patients was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.79-0.93). In cirrhotic patients, ammonia levels ≥175 ppb permitted the distinction between patients with and without HE; the area under the ROC curve in cirrhotic patients with versus without HE was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73-0.94). CONCLUSION: A portable sensor for measuring breath ammonia can be developed. If the results of the present study are confirmed, breath-ammonia determinations could produce a significant impact on the care of patients with cirrhosis and could even include the possibility of self-monitoring.
Authors:
R Adrover; D Cocozzella; E Ridruejo; A García; J Rome; J J Podestá
Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2011-8-13
Journal Detail:
Title:  Digestive diseases and sciences     Volume:  -     ISSN:  1573-2568     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2011 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-8-15     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7902782     Medline TA:  Dig Dis Sci     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  -     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Hepatology Centre, Calle 37 Nro 926, B1902AWL, La Plata, Argentina, raul.adrover@gmail.com.
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